James Wright cleared to practice

James Wright was cleared for practice Monday for the first time in nearly two years and became inspired.

Wright, a seventh-round pick out of LSU in 2014, was injured in his break-out game on Nov. 30, 2014, a three-catch, 59-yard effort in Tampa highlighted by a 30-yard catch down the sideline on third-and-long late in a 14-13 win that helped keep the ball from the Buccaneers.

He looked ready to fit into the Bengals’ riddled receiving corps in the No. 3 role as a guy that could contribute on special teams as well as separate well enough to be productive in the passing game. But a torn PCL ended his season and when he didn’t bounce back the next spring, microfracture knee surgery threatened to cut short his career.